The Rumour Mill: Tuesday’s Scottish football transfer news and gossip

Neil Lennon faces QPR battle to land Ivorian full-back

Celtic are keeping tabs on Ivory Coast international Siaka Tiene, a full-back who can also perform in a holding midfield role or as a winger.

But the club face competition from Queens Park Rangers, who are also keen on the 30-year-old Paris St Germain defender as well as Turkish cracks Besiktas.

Tiene has admitted he wants the chance to get his career back on track in the UK, and is currently with the Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of Nations. He has made 82 appearances for the Elephants, scoring twice.

The full-back has made just one appearance for the French giants this season after falling out of favour, with Brazilian Maxwell the preferred starting option.

Neil Lennon is reportedly weighing up a move for Tiene after watching his side’s league cup semi-final defeat to St Mirren at the weekend.

Meanwhile, Tottenham could launch a deadline day bid for Gary Hooper. Although Andre Villas Boas denied that he would be adding to his squad, the capture of Lewis Holtby just hours afterwards suggested that the London club could be prepared to splash out to capture Hooper, who supported the club as a boy and was rejected by them as a youngster.

St Mirren’s Paul McGowan wanted by Charlton and Leeds

Paul McGowan has been identified as a target for Championship sides Leeds, Charlton and Sheffield Wednesday monitoring the highly-rated playmaker.

McGowan, formerly of Celtic, returned from injury in December, and scored a penalty in St Mirren’s 3-2 win over the Parkhead club in the League Cup semi-final last weekend. The midfielder was linked with Crystal Palace in the last transfer window and should the Buddies choose to cash in on him this month, a fee of around £100,000 will be due to Celtic.

The player’s contract is up in the summer, but the Paisley club will be hopeful that McGowan will see out his time at St Mirren Park, especially with the lure of a cup final in the near future.

Dundee United told ‘hands off Derek’ as candidates for Tannadice hotseat named

Ross County have warned Dundee United off their manager Derek Adams as the Tannadice club seek a successor to the recently-departed Peter Houston.

The Arabs have been linked with Falkirk boss and former United player Steven Pressley, Partick Thistle manager Jackie McNamara and former striker Billy Dodds.

Pressley is reportedly the favourite for the job and the club are keen to announce a successor before their Scottish Cup match with Rangers this weekend.

Scottish football news in brief

• Celtic are hopeful that defender Efe Ambrose will return in time for their Scottish Cup clash with Raith Rovers.

• Inverness are questioning whether or not Danny Wilson was eligible to play in their League Cup semi-final match with Hearts at Easter Road. The Highland club believe Wilson should have been ineligible thanks to a red card picked up during his last League Cup match whilst at Rangers.

• Former Rangers midfielder Brian Laudrup could be set to return to Ibrox in an ambassador role.

• Willie Miller has urged the Aberdeen board to offer new contracts to management duo Craig Brown and Archie Knox.

• Raith Rovers have confirmed that their Scottish Cup tie with Celtic this weekend is a 7,000 sell-out.

• Hearts duo Darren Barr and Ryan Stevenson return from suspension for the Tynecastle club’s clash with Dundee tomorrow night.

• Gary Harkins has pledged to do all he can to keep Dundee in the SPL - saying that it would be more of an achievement than the club staying in the First Division after being docked 25 points.